Questions from a new arrival to Bangkok

[abidismaili]

 

There may be thousands of these digital nomads in the country who are avoiding tax and living in a grey area of the law. Many have been here for many years hoping VISAs and applying for new passports when they get to many stamps. I am not one of those people. 

 

 

Thank you. Yes it is a grey area and as I explained in my own post it is so easy to avoid paying any taxes because who will know? How can they know?

 

When I leave the Netherlands to go on holiday, my government doesn't know where I go to. I am not officially being checked out. I also don't officially check in when I arrive back home from holiday.

 

For Thailand I am a tourist. Say I am to do work via my laptop and my client pays my fee, and I not pay income tax, how can anyone one know this? It is not only a grey area, it is even impossible to police it, to enforce the law.

 

You can live on tourist visa, hopping from country to country, earn your fee and after 15-20 years you can quit working because you were able to save so much since you didn't pay any taxes. You could keep all income. And no-one will ever find out.

[Guest samebb]

Thank you. Yes it is a grey area and as I explained in my own post it is so easy to avoid paying any taxes because who will know? How can they know?

 

When I leave the Netherlands to go on holiday, my government doesn't know where I go to. I am not officially being checked out. I also don't officially check in when I arrive back home from holiday.

 

For Thailand I am a tourist. Say I am to do work via my laptop and my client pays my fee, and I not pay income tax, how can anyone one know this? It is not only a grey area, it is even impossible to police it, to enforce the law.

 

You can live on tourist visa, hopping from country to country, earn your fee and after 15-20 years you can quit working because you were able to save so much since you didn't pay any taxes. You could keep all income. And no-one will ever find out.

 

This may be true, but there is also a level of responsibility. If your visiting for a short while, sure no problem. I spent the best part of a year in Barcelona and I will be returning. It's my duty to pay into the system. I used the police once. I used refuse collection and watched most days as the government employees clean the streets. I respect the Catalan people and their beautiful capital.

 

In my home country, not that I would ever live there again, I would never pay a penny of tax. I would rather be sent to prison than pay tax to the UK government. Why? Because I know how it is spent and I know as a tax payer I would be back of the line for most public services. It was certainly part of the reason why I left a couple of years ago with no intention of returning. 

 

I guess a lot of it comes down to morals!

[dellboy]

did anyone of the above receive a revenue audit in their home country ? i doubt it because if they did they would realise how naive their thoughts and arguments are .  

 

 

 

just saying ! 

[Guest samebb]

did anyone of the above receive a revenue audit in their home country ? i doubt it because if they did they would realise how naive their thoughts and arguments are .  

 

 

 

just saying ! 

Hey Dellboy.

 

In the UK we don't get revenue audits. 

If you are a Limited Company, you can have tax inspections. I had one about 6 years ago when I had a UK company. No problems there!

 

If you are self employed, you a required to file your accounts annually. You are then send a tax bill. You pay it. Finished. 

When I informed HMRC (Her Majesties Revenue & Customers) I had left the country and no longer was self employeed, I was required to file my returns and sent a final bill. Which was paid.

 

Tax legislation is different in all jurisdictions. It is wise to ensure you know how to operate legally. My advise is get an accountant in whatever country you are in.

 

You insinuation that I am somehow naive is slightly insulting. As states previously, I pay income tax in every country I live in when I am legally required to. Either way, I thank you for your comments.

 

Thanks 

[vinapu]

 

 

When I leave the Netherlands to go on holiday, my government doesn't know where I go to. I am not officially being checked out. I also don't officially check in when I arrive back home from holiday.

 

For Thailand I am a tourist. Say I am to do work via my laptop and my client pays my fee, and I not pay income tax, how can anyone one know this? It is not only a grey area, it is even impossible to police it, to enforce the law.

 

You can live on tourist visa, hopping from country to country, earn your fee and after 15-20 years you can quit working because you were able to save so much since you didn't pay any taxes. You could keep all income. And no-one will ever find out.

You may be surprised , at least if you leave and return by air.

 

I don't live in  a police state at all but on occasion of on earrival I had a chance of glancing at the screen of officer's  computer, it looked he had records of  my  departures and arrivals going several years back. 

 

So for remote  work as long as  your client will pay you straight to your bank account as opposite to cash there's trail left and it can be investigated is government really wants.

 

Sure chance as slim due to sheer number of such transaction but if for whatever reason  they decide to check on you numbers are there and waiting.

[abidismaili]

You may be surprised , at least if you leave and return by air.

 

 

You American? In the Netherlands they dont scan my passport and ticket at the airport when I leave and arrive (I do show them my passport of course but they don't scan it, they look at it and I can continu).

 

So the only reason the government can know where I travel to, is if airlines give them a list of passengers. I know in America this happens, but I think in the European Union this is not happening. Isn't that against privacy laws? It also means (looking at the number of planes leaving and arriving every day in the Netherlands) government receives from all airlines many many lists of passengers every single day, which are then processed and stored. I doubt this happens.

[firecat69]

I have no idea what you are talking about. You can't get into Thailand without having your passport stamped as in most countries and thus a cursory look at your passport reveals evey place you have been and when.

[abidismaili]

I have no idea what you are talking about. You can't get into Thailand without having your passport stamped as in most countries and thus a cursory look at your passport reveals evey place you have been and when.

You do not read good. Or you not understand the post. Or the point of the post.

 

Of course if you look into someone's passport you know where he has gone too.

[firecat69]

I read perfectly well.  " So the only reason the government can know where I travel to, is if airlines give them a list of passengers"

 

In fact the government just looks at your passport and they know where you travel to.

 

If they don't do that in the European Union then that helps explain why there are so many massive terrorist attacks.

[Guest samebb]

I read perfectly well.  " So the only reason the government can know where I travel to, is if airlines give them a list of passengers"

 

In fact the government just looks at your passport and they know where you travel to.

 

If they don't do that in the European Union then that helps explain why there are so many massive terrorist attacks.

 

Firecat. You are hit the nail on the head here. 

 

I can confirm that inside the European Union (Schengen Zone) you will not receive a passport stamp when travelling between countries. In 2016 I went between 9 European countries. I didn't get a single stamp of entry. In fact, my entry into Thailand was my virgin stamp on a passport I have had over a year!

 

I don't believe however that there is not an NSA/GCHQ/ international database of some sort at least tracking who is flying  and where. All that information is stored electronically by airlines. It will be passed on at some point.

[Moses]

After 2015 Paris attack EU collects passengers data from airlines to Schengen Information System (SIS II). Law been implemented at the end of 2015. 

 

Check "PNR directive" in Google

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2016/681/oj

[Guest samebb]

After 2015 Paris attack EU collects passengers data from airlines to Schengen Information System (SIS II). Law been implemented at the end of 2015. 

 

Check "PNR directive" in Google

 

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2016/681/oj

 

I knew there had to be something along these lines. Thanks for the information Moses.

[vinapu]

 In fact, my entry into Thailand was my virgin stamp on a passport I have had over a year!

 

 

lack of stamp doesn't meant passport was not scanned, most likely it was when you were leaving Schengen area.

 

And if one travels by air is in who knows how many databases

[Guest samebb]

lack of stamp doesn't meant passport was not scanned, most likely it was when you were leaving Schengen area.

 

And if one travels by air is in who knows how many databases

 

You are correct and this makes me feel a lot safer, knowing that airlines and governments are being watchful over who is going where. More importantly, who is on my flight! 

 

 

[ChristianPFC]

How does this work with income tax? You not live in the country of your nationality. Your country does not know where you live. Your clients send money to your bank account. Do you pay income tax? To which country? Thailand?

 

Now I see abidismaili is not only interested in my financial situation, but in other's as well. Nothing wrong with that, but maybe the wrong place, here we are more concerned about cock sizes and off fees and drink prices than in which country you pay your income tax and  what health insurance you have.

[steveboy]

I read perfectly well.  " So the only reason the government can know where I travel to, is if airlines give them a list of passengers"

 

In fact the government just looks at your passport and they know where you travel to.

 

If they don't do that in the European Union then that helps explain why there are so many massive terrorist attacks.

 

The passport is not a reliable instant reference of where people travel to.  After we have the passport periodically renewed, the pages for stamping start out BLANK.